I've got two new toilets to install next weekend also. Have to replace the shut off valves too. After 15 years they won't completely turn off as I found out last weekend when I tried to install one and wound up with water all over the floor.

However, the master plumber that I hire for all of my big jobs always tells me not to use the rubber ones because the chlorine in the water will **** it up. I don't know of that's true or not, but I always let him use whatever he wants since he warranties all of his work.

Pulled off the hardibacker from my bath/shower wall again. The tub and walls are all crooked as **** so I used some 5 gallon paint stirrers as furring strips and spaced it out and leveled it as much as I could. So the wall opposite of the shower itself will be stepped out about 1/4" more than the other wall.... so that will look weird but with a shower curtain I doubt anyone will notice except me.

Pulled off the hardibacker from my bath/shower wall again. The tub and walls are all crooked as **** so I used some 5 gallon paint stirrers as furring strips and spaced it out and leveled it as much as I could. So the wall opposite of the shower itself will be stepped out about 1/4" more than the other wall.... so that will look weird but with a shower curtain I doubt anyone will notice except me.

If you're interested in trying a different approach, you could probably get it damn near perfect using a cheap block plane, some string line, and a couple of new 2"x4"s. This may not work at all in your scenario since I haven't seen it, but if the studs aren't playing well, I use the longest level I can use for the space and a combo square to find the two studs that are closest to the plane that I want. Then run a few string lines at different heights and mark the high spots with a pencil. Then make them level with the block plane. For the studs that may be too far back altogether, I'll just pop a new one in right next to it on the same plane as the others.

However, the master plumber that I hire for all of my big jobs always tells me not to use the rubber ones because the chlorine in the water will **** it up. I don't know of that's true or not, but I always let him use whatever he wants since he warranties all of his work.

If you're interested in trying a different approach, you could probably get it damn near perfect using a cheap block plane, some string line, and a couple of new 2"x4"s. This may not work at all in your scenario since I haven't seen it, but if the studs aren't playing well, I use the longest level I can use for the space and a combo square to find the two studs that are closest to the plane that I want. Then run a few string lines at different heights and mark the high spots with a pencil. Then make them level with the block plane. For the studs that may be too far back altogether, I'll just pop a new one in right next to it on the same plane as the others.

Honestly if the tub was not "installed" already I would, but for now I'm just going to space and level the walls as much as possible. That is a good technique though.